Midseason Tallies for the Grand Prix Series

Published by the DAILY RECORD of Morris County, New Jersey

On Sunday, Aug 4, 2013

Copyright, Madeline Bost, 2013

 

MIDSEASON TALLIES FOR THE GRAND PRIX SERIES

It’s not unusual for the New Balance Grand Prix, the New Jersey USATF long distance running series to have masters runners in the lead.  This year it is more extreme than in the past with young open runners in such a minority to be almost invisible.  Currently John Hogan, 48, of Washington Township in Bergen County is in the lead.  In second place is Brian Crowley, 49, of Hillsborough and in third is 52 year old Rodrigo Cacares of Elizabeth.

Ok, so the top three are over age forty, no big deal, but the first spot that is filled by an open runner, Michael Loenser, 31, of Piscataway, is 18^th place.  In the top fifty there are only four other men under the age of 37.  New Jersey has many younger men who are fast runners but they are a long ways from getting in their nine races.

Where is Mike Anis who won the series last year in a big come-from-behind sprint?  Look way down the list to 207^th place.  Anis has only two Category One races and one Category Three race.  Is he planning another sprint finish in 2013?

It is a little different on the women’s side.  Sheila Courter, 44, of Westfield is in the lead.  But Aya Leitz, 36, of Jersey City is in second.  Of the top fifty women, nine are under age 39.  Third place is held by Jane Parks, 61, of Morristown.

Note that all the ages are they age of a person on December 31, 2013 in accordance with the grand prix rules.

The Mini One grand prix that counts the best nine 5K races has Scott Isgett, 44, of Rockaway in the lead, Ben Teixeira, 51, of Kearny in second, and Charlie Slaughter, 58, of Parsippany is in third.  Connie Augustine, 45, of Mendham is in the lead on the women’s side.  Thirty three year old Tara Zimliki of Branchburgh in fifth and places 6^th, 7^th and 8^th are held by women under age 36 so the younger women are clearly competing for that grand prix.

The top seven runners in the men’s division of the Mini Two grand prix are 50 to 59 with the eighth place held by a 63 year old.  Mark Washbourne, 57, of Mendham has the lead in that division.  Patricia Butcher, 53, of Hawthorne is in the lead on the women’s side.  The Mini Two encompasses 4 miles up to but not including 15K and those races are a little harder to come by than the abundant 5Ks.

Winners of the two sub grand prix cannot be determined by who looks to be winning mid season.  That’s because the computer will take out the top three in the New Balance Grand Prix as they are ineligible to place in either of the two sub grand prix series.

SUMMER SERIES SURPRISE WINNER 

At last Tuesday’s Morris County Striders summer series 5K race at Johanson Park in Boonton Township the female winner was ten year old Corrine Kell Renshaw of Oak Ridge.  Her time was 20:16.  The men’s race was won by David Lerman, 28, of Hopatcong in 17:32.

The last race of the series is this Tuesday evening when the series winners will be determined.  The best three out of four races will count toward the overall score in the series.  The contest is shaping up to be between Lerman and Peter Lavallee of Denville.  On the women’s side Caroline Wolfe of Florham Park will win the series with one win and two third place finishes.

##

Race Results can often be found at www.compuscore.com or at  www.bestrace.com 

A calendar of USATF sanctioned events can be found at www.usatfnj.org or at www.raceforum.com for running and tri and biathlon events.

Contact Madeline Bost at madelinebost@verizon.net.